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Free School Lunches

We are sure that you are all aware that children in primary school are offered free school lunches, an initiative that helps parents in England to save up to £400 per year*, per child on school lunches.

If you have a child aged between four and seven they are eligible for free school lunches, but is this something that you utilise or does it cause worry for you and your child…?

Government’s standards for school meals mean that as parents we can be secure in the knowledge that our children will receive a healthy, nutritious lunch…but will they actual eat it? This is the worry that many parents, especially of young children attending school for the first time, have.

As a responsible parent who tries to each my children about healthy eating and one who is fairly lucky that they are not too fussy towards food, am I slightly worried about this initiative…?

What will happen if my child does not like the food that is served that day? If they don’t eat any lunch at all then surely their levels of learning and concentration will drop dramatically?

Will my school really be able to handle that many young children making their way through a warm lunch? I know how long it can take for them to eat their dinner at home…multiply that by 30 kids all aged four…

OK, I’m going to make some savings during this time but what happens after that? I have heard of schools that are now banning packed lunches and if my children get used to their hot lunch then they will want to carry this on once they are in Year 3 – so suddenly I will need to account for around £2.50 per child per day for their meal; I am sure that a packed lunch would not cost that much…

…however, on the bright side, there will be no rushing to make sandwiches in the mornings! No asking my children why they didn’t eat the food that I prepared for them when they bring home an untouched lunch box! No shopping for lunch boxes (which would undoubtedly have ended in tears when they got to school and X had a better box!)…

Hmm, maybe these free lunches are a great idea! Over to you Mojomums, we would love to hear about what your meals your child is offered at school and whether you use the free initiative or not…